If you live in a concrete jungle, sometimes you’ll run into problems because of the dirt, dust, air quality, and waste pollution, which can be a source of diseases, skin problems, and stress. There can be serious consequences if we don’t pay attention to ourselves and our bodies. We need to show ourselves love too in our busy routines at home, at work, and in between. 

Protecting Your Skin & Body from Pollution

Our bodies and skin, mental and physical health need attention every day. Here are some tips to protect your skin from pollution:

  • Apply a sunblock that supports your skin’s pH level, religiously. Keep it with you at all times and apply it on your skin from time to time, especially in extreme sunlight
  • We need to excrete all the toxicity from our body and retain our skin’s moisture, so it’s essential to stay hydrated. Plus, it improves hair growth too!
  • Burning fossil fuels and releasing carbon dioxide in the air is one of the major causes of global warming. Keep yourself hydrated at all times, and consider wearing more light colored and lightweight clothes that allow air to pass through. 
  • Include a nighttime skincare ritual in your routine. We must cleanse our skin every single day to wash off dust particles and soot that may have attached to our skins. For that, cleanse your skin with micellar water which effectively cleans dirt from the skin. If required, use a cleansing face cream for dry skin.
  • Cleanse your skin with antioxidants. When our skin gets polluted; all the soot and harmful air negatively affects our skin and contributes to premature aging, a process known as oxidation. Use skin products that have antioxidants; moisturizers or facial cleansers with Vitamins A, C, or E.
  • Moisturize your skin daily to prevent flaky skin or dryness. 
  • Make sure to relax at home. We’re always on the go, and pollution adds to exhaustion. Take a relaxing shower, wear comfortable clothes, eat some ice cream (some!), and get enough sleep if you can. 

Combatting Pollution at Home

Eradicating pollution from our skins and bodies is not enough, we must combat pollution at our homes too! Here are some ways to do that:

  • Avoid using household cleaners with irritating smells and chemicals which may harm our lungs, skin, nose, and mouth or trigger allergies and infections. Natural cleaners such as elbow grease, hydrogen peroxide, lemons, and borax are great alternatives.
  • Avoid smoking indoors. Or avoid smoking altogether!
  • It feels nice to open the windows and have an airy atmosphere. But it’s not always ideal as it may cause allergies. Try using air filters and getting your HVAC cleaned regularly.
  • Keep trash covered and avoid clutter.
  • Avoid carpeting if possible. Vacuum clean your house regularly.

We can get consumed with work and house chores. The best way to take care of ourselves is by adding simple caregiving practices in our daily lives. We too deserve the love and care that we very often give to others. Pollution is as real as it gets and it’s not getting any better. Use these tips to better protect yourself from the effects of pollution on a day-to-day basis.